Europe’s electricity mix: wind and solar overtake fossil
Where Europe’s electricity comes from: in 2025 wind and solar produced more than fossil fuels in the EU for the first time. Sources, country differences and data.
Power & gridPublished
In 2025, wind and solar generated more electricity in the EU than all fossil fuels combined, for the first time. According to Ember’s European Electricity Review 2026, wind and solar supplied 30.1 % of EU electricity (841 TWh), while coal, gas and other fossil sources supplied 29.0 % (809 TWh). Renewables as a whole produced close to half of the EU’s power.
The EU mix in 2025
| Indicator (EU-27, 2025) | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wind and solar share | 30.1 % (841 TWh) | Ember, European Electricity Review 2026 |
| Fossil share | 29.0 % (809 TWh) | Ember |
| Solar generation | 369 TWh, about 20 % more than 2024 | Ember |
| Renewables share | close to half | Ember |
| Coal | new historic low | Ember |
| Countries where wind and solar beat fossil | 14 of 27 | Ember |
Ember is an independent energy think tank that compiles generation data from national statistics and transmission system operators. For official statistics, Eurostat publishes annual energy balances, and hourly generation by country is available on the ENTSO-E transparency platform.
How the mix has changed
For decades Europe’s electricity came mainly from coal, gas, nuclear and hydro. The steam-cycle technology behind most of those plants is explained in how thermal power plants work. Since the 2000s, wind and later solar have grown quickly, coal has declined, and gas has become the main flexible fossil source.
In 2025 the Netherlands and Croatia joined the group of EU countries where wind and solar out-produce fossil fuels, bringing the total to 14. Ember notes that hydro and nuclear, the other two major low-carbon sources, have been stable or slightly declining over the past five years. The growth has come almost entirely from wind and solar.
Big differences between countries
An EU average hides very different national systems:
- France relies on a large fleet of nuclear reactors, which gives it a low-carbon mix with little fossil generation.
- Poland has historically relied heavily on coal, although its renewable share has been rising.
- Spain, Portugal and Greece have built up large amounts of solar and wind.
- Austria draws much of its power from hydro.
- Germany has phased out nuclear power and is phasing out coal, with wind and solar now its largest sources.
Outside the EU, Norway runs almost entirely on hydro, Switzerland combines hydro and nuclear, and the UK has a large share of offshore wind and gas.
Because the grid is interconnected, countries trade power across borders constantly. A sunny afternoon in Spain or a windy night in the North Sea affects prices and flows far beyond those regions.
Why the hour matters as much as the year
Annual shares are useful, but the grid has to balance every second. On a sunny, windy day in spring, wind and solar can cover most of demand in some countries, and wholesale prices can fall below zero. On a still winter evening, gas plants, hydro, storage and imports carry the load.
That variability is why flexibility has become valuable. It is the reason for dynamic electricity tariffs, which pass hourly prices on to households, and for virtual power plants, which pool batteries and other devices to respond to the grid.
Emissions and air quality
A falling share of coal reduces carbon dioxide emissions and air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust. The plants that remain are fitted with flue gas cleaning to meet EU limits, as described in flue gas cleaning explained. The carbon intensity of electricity, measured in grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour, therefore differs strongly between countries and hours.
Where small solar fits in
Plug-in solar and rooftop systems are part of the solar growth in the statistics, either as generation or as reduced demand on the grid at midday. Individually they are tiny, but in countries like Germany they number in the millions. Their effect is greatest when owners use the power themselves, which reduces flows through the grid at peak solar hours. The plug-in solar section explains how such a system works.
How to read the data yourself
- For the latest annual EU picture, read the summary of Ember’s yearly review.
- For official national statistics, use Eurostat’s energy data.
- For hourly generation in a specific country, use the ENTSO-E transparency platform.
- Always note the year: shares change quickly, and this page reflects 2025 data published in early 2026.
More background is in the power and grid section.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest source of electricity in the EU?
Taken together, renewables supplied close to half of EU electricity in 2025. Among single sources, the ranking between nuclear, wind and gas shifts from year to year, so check the latest annual data from Ember or Eurostat.
Is the UK included in these figures?
No. The EU figures cover the 27 member states. The UK publishes its own statistics, and its mix has a large share of wind and gas.
Why does the mix change from hour to hour?
Wind and solar output follow the weather and the time of day. Other plants, storage and imports fill the gaps, which is why wholesale prices and the carbon intensity of power vary through the day.
Does my plug-in solar system change the mix?
Each system is tiny, but together they add up. Small solar systems also reduce demand on the grid at midday, which shows up in national statistics as lower consumption or higher solar output.